Oh RH, I was cranky at the time, and it's this sort of thing I resent. I like a few French musicians, but I resent the implication that I must like certain things to be cultured, and I doubly resent people who affect intelligence by collecting the 'right' interests.

Of course you don't have to like certain things to be cultured. However, it is equally dumb to reject certain things simply because you associate them with "cultured" people and somehow resent cultured people or what is commonly mistaken for cultured people.

PS: I live in a small reputable European university town and have met quite a few academic hipsters. Trust me. I know the type that collects the right interests. *sigh*

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. Neither love without knowledge, nor knowledge without love can produce a good life. - Bertrand RussellA herring's blogJohari / Nohari

Of course you don't have to like certain things to be cultured. However, it is equally dumb to reject certain things simply because you associate them with "cultured" people and somehow resent cultured people or what is commonly mistaken for cultured people.

PS: I live in a small reputable European university town and have met quite a few academic hipsters. Trust me. I know the type that collects the right interests. *sigh*

I actually agree with you 100%. I realize it does appear that I stated that I implied that I dislike all French music, but I would never dislike 'French Music' any more or less than I'd like 'French Music'. The category is way too broad, and I feel that anybody who falls into either category isn't focused on the music part, but the French part and I can't really connect to the -phelia aspect of it. Like I said, my statement came from the implication that French = cultured, and the response to the lack of immediate interest.

I actually agree with you 100%. I realize it does appear that I stated that I implied that I dislike all French music, but I would never dislike 'French Music' any more or less than I'd like 'French Music'. The category is way too broad, and I feel that anybody who falls into either category isn't focused on the music part, but the French part and I can't really connect to the -phelia aspect of it. Like I said, my statement came from the implication that French = cultured, and the response to the lack of immediate interest.

Yeah, my first reaction was: WTF is French music even supposed to be. That is such an enormously wide field. What I was going on about is how both the francophobes and the francophiles seem to equate so much with French cultural products that goes way beyond what they actually are. And the level of francophobia I have encountered among Americans impresses me and makes me suspect there is a little more behind it. Thus my first post.

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. Neither love without knowledge, nor knowledge without love can produce a good life. - Bertrand RussellA herring's blogJohari / Nohari